Peter Faust Dam

Well, what can you say about Peter Faust Dam or Proserpine Dam as it is also known due to its locality to Proserpine. To be honest the dam is one of the most underrated gems of the Whitsundays. It’s possible to go to the dam mid-week or during winter and catch a 120cm Barramundi and there won’t be another boat or person for miles to hear you celebrate.

This fresh water paradise is the kind of place you grow up dreaming about, where you can lose yourself in the moment flicking lures around the submerged trees with a complete glass out hearing Barramundi smash unsuspecting bait and insects off the surface. Just to be clear these fish can be and quite often are massive.

The dam is stocked every year to make sure the numbers stay high and while they can be hard work in the cooler months with persistence you can nail a trophy. These fish are too beautiful to keep and like most freshwater Barra taste below par so releasing them to fight another day is recommended. The best part about the dam is you can target them year round even when the season is closed to help wild Barra breed. It’s also a great alternative to hitting the high sea when the weather blows up.

Amenities at the dam are more than sufficient, there’s plenty of parking and the ramp whilst having no pontoon gets the job done. There’s basic accommodation close by at Kanga camp but camping at the dam itself is not permitted.

You can find Peter Faust Dam just 30 minutes from Proserpine on Crystal Brook road. The drive is very scenic and worth visiting for the view alone. There are worse places to spend the morning having a picnic on the grass and imagining a 30kg Barramundi also having a morning snack only metres away.